How long do barn swallows live?
The oldest Barn Swallow on record lived to 16 years, a record from a bird of unrecorded origin. That is a ceiling, not an average: most wild barn swallows live only a few years.
- Longest recorded lifespan
- 16 years
- Record from
- Bird of unrecorded origin
- Age at first breeding
- About 1 year
- Eggs per clutch
- 3–7 eggs
- Broods per year
- 1–2 per season
- Size
- 5.9–7.5 in, 0.6–0.7 oz
- Rank in family (of species on this site)
- 1 of 7
Record age versus typical age
Longevity records come from birds that were marked and later found again, usually through bird banding, or from birds kept in zoos. They show what a Barn Swallow can survive to, not what most do.
For small birds, the first year is the hardest. Many eggs and nestlings are lost to predators and weather, and young birds that leave the nest still have to learn to find food and avoid hawks and cats. A bird that survives its first winter has a much better chance of living several more years. That is why average lifespans in the wild are short even when the record is long.
Barn swallows usually start breeding at about 1 year old. Each season a pair lays 3–7 eggs and raises 1–2 per season, with eggs taking 12–17 days to hatch.
How barn swallows compare with relatives
Oldest recorded ages for other swallows on this site.
- Purple Martin13.8 years
- Tree Swallow12.1 years
- Cliff Swallow11.8 years
- Bank Swallow10.1 years
- Violet-green Swallow9.1 years
- Northern Rough-winged Swallow5.9 years
More about barn swallows
Frequently asked
How long do barn swallows live?
The longest-lived Barn Swallow on record reached 16 years, recorded from a bird of unrecorded origin. Most wild barn swallows live far shorter lives, because the majority of young birds don't survive their first year.
How old is a Barn Swallow when it first breeds?
Usually about 1 year old.
What is the oldest Barn Swallow ever recorded?
16 years, according to the AnAge longevity database.
How many young can a Barn Swallow raise in a year?
Pairs lay 3–7 eggs and raise 1–2 per season.
Source: AnAge, The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database (Human Ageing Genomic Resources), record quality "acceptable", sample size "medium". genomics.senescence.info